Transcriptome analysis reveals candidate genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in Ziziphora bungeana / 中国中药杂志

Ziziphora bungeana is a kind of medicinal plants belongs to Labiatae,and it also a kind of geoherbs in Xinjiang. The main active ingredient linarin has a higher content in inflorescence than in other parts. In this study,high-throughput sequencing technology was used to reveal the transcriptome of the inflorescence of Z. bungeana,77 366 unigenes were acquired,of which 56 375 unigenes were annotated based on search of the database and classification. Through the analysis of metabolic pathways,sixty unigenes were probably encoding some enzymes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. The contents of linarin in different parts were determined and the key genes were verified by qRT-PCR. The discovery provides the research basis for further analysis of the enzyme genes involved in the biosynthesis of the major flavonoid components in Z. bungeana.

Cloning and identification of two squalene synthase genes from Salvia miltiorrhiza / 中草药

Objective: To clone and identify the squalene synthase genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Methods: The primers were designed based on the predication result of S. miltiorrhiza genome genes and two squalene synthase genes (SmSQS1 and SmSQS2) from S. miltiorrhiza were amplified via RT-PCR method. Some bioinformatic methods and softwares were used for the gene structure analysis, the analyses of sequence homology and protein conserved domains of the two gene encoding polypeptides were carried. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) method was used for the analysis of gene expression patterns. Results: The two squalene synthase genes of S. miltiorrhiza were obtained by RT-PCR method. The encoded polypeptide of the two genes has the related domains and a conserved motif for squalene synthases. The two genes had the different exon/intron characteristics and the different tissue-specific and time-specific expression patterns. Conclusion: There are two squalene synthase genes existing in the genome of S. miltiorrhiza, which have the different gene structures and expression patterns, and probably play the different roles in the biosynthesis process of steroids and triterpenoids in S. miltiorrhiza.